About
We begin with song and dance.
I want to invite you to the dance of therapy and the search for Kryptonite and Superpowers.
We will start with the melody or the song in your head – you set the pace and lead. You dance the dance that you know, and I will follow. Or you can tell me that you have stopped dancing, and we will immediately search for Kryptonite.
In the beginning, we will go slow until we know each other a little better. Then, I may suggest some steps to add to your normal dance. I may occasionally stop to explain new steps, validate a move you made, or have us catch our breath.
We can shed some of the Kryptonite that was hiding during this process, or we may kick some of it off the floor and pick up renewed enthusiasm. You will find that slowly but surely, the melody, pace, and rhythm will change more and more to where you would like it to be. You may find more and more of your Superpower in the dance until you fly on your own.
I believe our lives are for dancing – to be happy, find our enthusiasm, relate to the people around us in a way that brings us joy, and relishes in our Superpower. These superpowers do not necessarily mean we can fly, but they are those unique things that we are good at doing.
We all have one or more Superpowers – some people have laser focus, display a gift for artistry, can put feelings into words, possess a healing touch, can create safety, or ask the right questions.
All of us have Superpowers.
We are born with our Superpowers, and we learn our dance during our childhood while growing up in our families. Some families dance with enthusiasm, and Superpowers are welcomed, explored, and validated.
Other families have little room for dancing, where there may be lots of pain and Kryptonite. Or maybe, you used to dance with so much enthusiasm as you used your Superpower, but now, you feel blocked and have no more energy. Your Superpower has stopped working, and you are afraid to dance.
I want to invite you to the therapy dance, so you can find and release the Kryptonite in your life. You have the right to dance to your tune and have the full use of your Superpower.
About Benedicte
Relearn to dance.
As a (single) mother, grandmother, traveler, therapeutic horse-riding instructor, meditation teacher, pastor, school counselor, coach, and therapist, I discovered that you could learn – and relearn – to dance and enjoy life again.
Kryptonite occurs in the strangest places. You learn to neutralize it best through exploration, play, making mistakes, trying again, and following your feelings and emotions.
Your body speaks to you through your emotions. Listen to what it has to say and recognize where to go by following your enthusiasm. However, it is okay to ask for directions and help.
Life led me in many directions.
Being a clinical therapist started in 1997 when I became ordained as a minister and pastor in Berkeley’s Church of Divine Man. My children were in elementary and middle school, and two of the three had learning disabilities. At the same time, I taught (other) children with disabilities how to ride horses in the therapeutic riding program of NCEFT in Woodside, California.
When my children were in high school (2009), I decided to plunge into the California Institute for Integral Studies doctorate program. I was promoted to Doctor in Clinical Psychology in 2016. I wrote my dissertation on Possession, Exorcism, and Mental Health, exploring the overlap between spiritual difficulties and psychological issues. I received my license in May 2018.
Over the years, most of my clinical work has been with adults in private practice and with children and teens in the (horse) arena, at their home or school setting. I also developed substantial experience in parent counseling and coaching.
In the process, I have learned to dance many different dances, clear a lot of Kryptonite, and relish in my clients finding their Superpowers.